


Safety in Secrets

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics), Robin War (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 05:34:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6106514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They saved the day. The city was safe. But what’s one more secret among brothers?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Safety in Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> Post Robin War, obviously. And that’s. Kind of all I’ve got.

Despite them all being together during the fight, when Dick called, Jason showed up first.

Good.

“I don’t know where the _fuck_ you were,” Jason began, even as he came stomping up. “But you will not believe what your little _protégé_ did-”

“I know.” Dick cut off, knowing they didn’t have time. Knowing it wouldn’t be long until Damian and Tim showed up. Knowing he needed to tell _someone_ and it couldn’t be _either of them_. “Jason, listen to me, please. Okay?”

Jason jerked to a stop, narrowed his eyes suspiciously, whatever was on his tongue immediately forgotten. “…We won. You know that right? So…why aren’t you like, jumping for joy right now?”

“I will. But later.” Dick flashed a sad smile. “But I need you to listen, okay? I need you to listen and promise me you’ll keep it a secret.”

Dick could see Jason was already clacking his teeth together. “Oh no. No more of your fucking _secrets_ , Grayson, no more of your-”

“Damian’s not out of the deal with the Court of Owls.” Dick shouted over him, and instantly, Jason went silent.

“…Wait, what?” Jason demanded. “If he wasn’t out of it, then why did they let him leave with-”

“Because I took his place.” Dick said simply. Sounds echoed through the cave, sounds like motors, and Dick glanced over Jason’s shoulders. “It was me they wanted all along. And even when Damian went there to sacrifice himself for me, for _all of us_ , they had no intent of letting him fill that role.”

Some of the anger left Jason’s face, replaced with trepidation, and a hint of sadness. “They used him to get at you.”

Dick nodded solemnly.

“…I was going to kill them, Jason.” He admitted softly. “I was going to destroy everything about them, down to their souls, for trying to take him. For trying to _use_ him. But then they said they’d laced him with a bomb. In that mask they made him wear. It spilled a toxin onto his skin, one they could control, and if I didn’t do what they asked-“

“They were going to blow the shrimp up.” Jason concluded. “Did they show you the trigger? Could you take it from them?”

“No. There was no physical proof of it. I just have their word.” Dick said softly. “…But I won’t gamble with Damian’s life. We lost him once, and I refuse to risk losing him again.”

“…Has the toxin worn off?” Jason asked. “I mean, if the toxin’s worn off, then all we have to do is keep kiddo out of Gotham. Or, you know, with one of us. Just…away from the Owls. _We_ can keep Damian away from the Owls, so you don’t have to-”

“It’s the Court, Jason. They have their ways.” Dick sounded miserable. “They said if I stayed loyal, they wouldn’t hurt him. But the second I’m not…The _moment_ they so much as _think_ I’m not, then Damian…”

Dick didn’t finish the thought. Jason didn’t need him to.

“…Fuck.” Jason breathed. Stared up at the ceiling of the cave. He let a few seconds tick by, listened to the motor, singular, running through the caverns. “…Grayson, why are you telling me this.”

“Because I need someone to know.” Dick whispered. His heart was pounding now, as the sound of a bike got closer. “This…the threat on Damian’s life is a secret I can’t keep.”

“Well then tell _him_.” Jason spat. “It’s _his_ life in danger here.”

Dick hesitated. Bit his lip and looked away. “You know I can’t do that.”

“Why, because you know you’ll break his fucking heart?” Jason snapped. “Because you and I both know he did this whole sacrifice thing for _you_ , Gray Son, and you know the second he hears what you did for him, he’ll go running back to the Court to fix it?”

Dick kept silent.

“That’s all he kept saying when we found him, you know.” Jason continued. “‘I fixed it, I fixed it.’ Like this was all a big game, and you were his favorite old teddy bear. He honestly thought he _fixed_ this whole mess, that he saved you and me and Tim and _Bruce_ , by giving himself over to those birdbrains.”

Dick closed his eyes.

“So you know.” Jason’s voice dropped now, and he glanced at the tunnel entrance. “You know when he finds out that his sacrifice was a joke, and that you ended up being forced to sacrifice yourself for him anyway, it’s going to kill him. Inside. Just a little.”

Dick opened his eyes, glanced over. “Promise you won’t tell him, Jay. Promise you’ll let him believe this was a victory. That what he did _meant_ something.”

The sound of an engine was practically on top of them now. “…Yeah, alright.”

“Promise me if things go bad, if…if _I_ go bad, you’ll do what’s right for him.” Dick pushed. “For him _and_ Tim.”

The motorcycle carrying the youngest Robins appeared from the tunnel, swirling around the parking pad.

Jason nodded silently, shifting to step away.

“Jason.” Dick reached out, grabbed his elbow. “Promise me you’ll protect him.”

Jason just yanked his arm away, and rushed over to the other two.

Dick watched, as the three chatted for a moment. As Tim rolled his eyes and Jason snorted, darted his hand out to rub at Damian’s hair. When the three came over to where Dick was standing, he was pleased to see Jason standing protectively in front of the other two.

And that Damian was sandwiched safely between them.

Jason, though, God bless him, kept his word. Acted like he and Dick didn’t just spend the last ten minutes talking, and started this new conversation off in the same way he started the last one.

“Hell of a fight.” He sneered. “And you were _where_ exactly, Dick?”

Dick almost smiled, but went along with the charade. Made some offhand remark about evidence and that councilwoman who was involved in this whole thing. Let Tim snap at him, let Jason drone out some sarcasm, even pretended it didn’t hurt just a little when Damian took their side over his.

 _He can’t know._ Dick told himself. _He can’t know what you did for him._

“Simple.” He ended the budding argument with. “Because you did it for him.  Because I did it for him.” He paused then. Met Jason’s eye only for a second, before dropping his gaze to Damian. Damian who, despite his venom and annoyance at the whole situation, stared right back at him with large, moonish, innocent eyes. “And because I do all of it for you.”

Damian blinked, then turned away and scoffed.

Dick, finally, did smile at that.

“But, you three did good today.” Dick quipped. “Why don’t you guys go get some rest while I finish this up?”

Tim and Jason each shrugged nonchalantly, and Damian stepped away from them. “I should probably go check on those so-called Robins. Make sure…make sure they all got home safely.”

“If you insist.” Dick chuckled. He watched for a moment, as Damian moved towards him, obviously intent on going around him, and towards one of the Batmobiles, before whispering: “Damian?”

Damian stopped. Stared up at him with the same childishness.

Dick dropped down to his knee, opened his arms just a little. “Indulge me? Just this once?”

Damian pursed his lips, glanced at the other two, before silently agreeing. Stepping forward and allowing Dick to envelope him in his arms. He even went as far as to lean his head against Dick’s shoulder.

“You did good today.” Dick whispered. “I’m so proud of you.”

He felt Damian absently nod against him.

“Thank you for saving me.” He tried, fought back his own tears. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”

Damian snorted, but it was shy. “I’ve been saying that for _years_.”

Dick smiled, squeezed Damian’s shoulders. Squeezed them so hard he heard Damian grunt, but didn’t let up, not for a few seconds.

This might be the last time he gets to do this.

He pressed his lips to Damian’s temple, held them there until the youngest started to squirm. Then quickly pressed another one and released him.

“Tell Duke I say hey.” Dick smiled, even as Damian blushed. “And tell him thanks – from me.”

“For what?”

“For getting my baby brother out of trouble.”

Damian scoffed again, but pulled away, practically running for one of his father’s cars. Dick watched him go, heard Tim groan and stalk off himself. Listened to Jason’s footsteps as he stepped up behind him.

“Only until you get yourself out of this mess.” Jason murmured, after Damian started the engine to the car, and they heard Tim disappear into the manor. “I’ll keep him safe and away from the Owls, away from _you_ , until you get yourself out of this. But not a second longer, do you hear me?”

“Loud and clear.” Dick whispered, remaining on his knee. “Thank you, Jason.”

“Yeah. Secrets and lies and crazy ass Owl people.” Jason snapped bitterly, following after Tim. “It’s what family’s _for_.”

Dick just sighed, and looked at the ground.


End file.
